Chapter 8: Five Years Of Insignificance (Part 8)
The Azure Profound Sect was built upon a humongous mountain.
The higher you went up that mountain, the greater the status an individual staying there would have.
As you would expect, the servant compound was on the very foot of the mountain. This was done so as it made it easier for them to do menial tasks such as gathering wood or collecting taxes from mortal cities/villages.
The servants would also only have to go up the mountain for a short while until they arrived at the outer sect area, hence, allowing them to complete their tasks quicker as well.
Overall, the servant compound was designed with practicality in mind.
The four massive dormitory buildings, which could house a hundred or so servants each, all faced each other and had a decent amount of space in between them, allowing a cafeteria, task collection hall and task submission hall to be placed.
With that, the servants could wake up, go to the cafeteria to get their energy for the day, and then they could head to get a task next door.
After they've gone and completed said task, they could go back to the task submission hall and get paid, then either grab another task or have a rest.
The places labelled as 'rest areas' here were not like theatres, amusement parks or arcades. Instead, they were, training grounds, social areas, and the martial arts library- Of course, these were also close by as 'practicality took precedence'.
Currently, Zhang Wei and the group were at the massive area called the 'training grounds', frantically scuffling around as if in a rush.
The reason they were there was, naturally, because of the competition.
The sect never bothered making a designated place for competition, whether that be due to negligence or other reasons.
But, to be fair, there wasn't a need for a new area anyways.
The training area already had multiple square stages, all of which were very spacious- Around 30x30 metres in size- hence making it perfect for a tournament like this.
Today, being the day of the competition, the whole place was jam-packed with people- Some even brought chairs to sit on and snacks to munch on, in order to enhance their viewing pleasure!
Charging amidst the swarms of people, was Zhang Wei and his friends.
"Tan Lin, you fool!
How could you mess up reading the bloody time?
Have you punctured a hole in your head recently, or was it always an empty void in there?!"
"Hey, don't talk sh*t!
I was just a bit nervous about the competition... that's all!
Everyone makes mistakes here and then, plus, it's not as if we won't be able to register in time!
All you need to do is move your fat asses a bit faster than usual!"
As they pushed their way through the crowd, curses could be heard from behind but they all ignored them and kept moving forward.
Soon, they arrived at one of the registration desks- Which consisted of a simple wooden desk with a wooden box and a few sheets of paper on top of it.
The person behind the desk was just about to pack up, but seeing the group of five, his face darkened and he sat back down helplessly.
Damn it!
Just when I thought I could go home and call it a day, more b*stards come for the last-minute sign-up!
Is this some sort of new fetish, or are these people just incapable of reading the f*cking time?
That guy before even rambled on about him being a fated god-king and that it was his job to show up last second!
Before the worker could utter a word, the five boys shouted simultaneously,
"We'd like to register for the servant competition!"
The worker helplessly grabbed a few sheets of paper, tore them up into small pieces, and then responded to them in a monotone voice- As if he was a machine giving an automated response.
"Please sign this slip with your name, then stick it into the box.
Remember, death is a possibility."
The boys seemed unphased by the warning and quickly done as he said so.
As they registered, one of them spoke up and said arrogantly,
"What did I tell you all?
We got in just fine!
To think you bunch of unfilial dogs would doubt this granddaddy's expert time management skills!
Clearly, you lot are too green!"
As they walked away, the rest all cursed him for being shameless and mocked him for not knowing how to use a clock.
Looking at their backs as they left, the worker shook his head and thought to himself,
Haiz, another three months, another massacre!
It seems like this time there will be more deaths than usual.
Well, it's not my problem anymore.
I'm just gonna go home and take a nice long rest. Of course, I'll also grab a celebratory vat of that newly imported wine from the cafeteria whilst every other fool is focusing on this slaughterfest!
After thinking of this, the worker stood up with a small smile and was about to pack away when...
"WAAAIIIIITTTTT!
I, LIN FAN, MUST JOIN THIS TOURNAMENT!"
...
Zhang Wei was sitting down on a bench at the sidelines of the largest stage, staring at the sheets of paper in his hands with wide eyes.
He turned his head to the left, looked over at Jin Feng who was next to him, and asked curiously,
"How in the nine heavens were you able to get your grubby hands on this sort of info?!
Are you a spirit rat in disguise or something?!"
Zhang Wei was right to be shocked here, as those sheets of paper contained a detailed report of numerous competitors in the tournament- This even included those old powerhouses!
This was a godsend for Zhang Wei and the rest!
Seeing the shock on his face, Jin Feng rubbed his nose and said with a smug expression,
"I'll tell you, but don't blame me if you don't believe what I'm going to say!
You see, on the way here this thing just so happened to fly into my face!
No joke!
Just as I was about to throw it away after taking it off my face, thinking it was another stupid advertisement, I spotted that it was much more than that!
And there you go, that's the story!
If this doesn't reaffirm that even the heavens are on my side, I don't know what will!"
What?!
He basically said it fell from the sky!
Who'd ever believe that?
But, contrary to common sense, after listening to this seemingly nonsensical tale, Zhang Wei's first reaction wasn't disbelief and scepticism.
No.
Instead, his eyes seemed to brighten up!
For the first time in an entire week, a gleeful smile adorned his face and he relaxedly laid back whilst simultaneously letting out a huge sigh of relief- The exhale seemed to carry all his pent-up tension and stress.
Thank the heavens!
That bloody luck booster actually works!
And not only does it work, but it also does absolute f*cking wonders!
Although I'm still a bit wary, from the looks of it, it won't be me and my friends' death anniversary a year from today!
Zhang Wei decided that the most optimal moment to activate the luck booster was before handing in his application as it would maximise his chances of a good draw, and he would also be able to taste its effects before the competition started.
Of course, he'd also contemplated using it right before his match as well to see whether he could defeat his opponent with luck, but couldn't quite bring himself to put full trust in it to carry him.
Feeling in a good mood, Zhang Wei exclaimed,
"Indeed, Jin Feng!
You truly are a heaven's blessed, a lucky star!
Hey, all of you, our good brother here has just struck the jackpot!"
Soon, all five of them began rejoicing.
...
In the Servant Compound, it was a fact that the cultivation technique given was garbage.
But for martial arts, on the other hand, although the selection was rather pitiful, the few martial arts in there were rather decent in quality!
Of the martial arts, there were four mainstream ones.
Green Turtle Palm Art.
It was an art that focused on being more reactive, rather than proactive. Its footwork and stability allowed the user to have good defensive capabilities whilst also giving them satisfactory offensive power.
If there were to be a notable downside, it would be the speed of the punches and movements.
Blue Viper Fist Art.
An art which focused on its rapid speed and unpredictability. People who practised this art would focus on putting incredible amounts of pressure on the opponent and overwhelming them with a series of rapid punches.
A notable downside would be that its power wasn't fantastic and that it required the user to have high stamina.
Yellow Monkey Palm Art.
It was an art that focused on evading and dodging as much as possible, then going for multiple counter-attacks or one all-in attack.
One notable downside of this one was that it left the user particularly vulnerable at moments, meaning getting hit could be very fatal.
Black Bear Fist Art.
An art with balanced power and defence, but similar to the Green Turtle Palm Art its speed was rather lacking.
It was rumoured that all four of these arts originated from one single art, but to date, it remained a rumour and nothing more.
...
The thirteenth fight of the competition's first round was currently taking place.
On the stage, two young men faced each other on opposite sides- Both had dead-serious expressions.
One of the two was a young man in his late twenties who had long auburn hair, brown eyes and an overall average appearance.
His name was Chen Dou.
And right now, Chen Dou was feeling incredibly incredulous.
This damned b*stard!
Is he really just stoic, or is he actually a stone that's gained sentience, because I can't tell anymore!
I've been hurling insults at him for the past ten minutes to incite some sort of action from him, but he's not budging in the slightest!
To further solidify my stone theory, his expression remains completely impassive- As if my words were passing wind or something!
F*ck!
If it wasn't for my stupid knee, I would have long taken the initiative to give this guy a pounding and be done and dusted with this!
...Indeed, neither Chen Dou nor his opponent had initiated any form of combat for the past ten minutes.
At this point, even the organised referee began booing alongside the meagre audience!
However, just cause Chen Dou did not make any movement does not mean that he was scared to throw hands. Instead, he just wasn't capable of doing so!
Not too long ago, whilst the was practising his martial arts, Chen Dou made a mistake during a movement. Consequently, he slammed his knee into a wall.
Hitting your knee into a wall was already quite a sore thing, but it wasn't something a cultivator on Chen Dou's level couldn't recover from given the time he had till today.
Unfortunately, the method he practised was the Yellow Monkey Palm Art.
This meant that he was much more prone to a worse injury when making a mistake, as compared to other martial arts.
Realistically, it was quite stupid of him to even be participating in this tournament right now.
But sometimes, emotions take precedence over rationality.
Unlike outliers such as Zhang Wei and the gang, Chen Dou desperately wanted out of this hellhole.
He had a loving family and good friends waiting for him back in his hometown, making this place akin to something like a cage that prevented him from seeing them.
The only reason he was there in the first place, was that he simply couldn't accept the reality that he lacked the talent for cultivation and, like others, he thought the servant compound was a chance for him to defy fate and accomplish his dream of becoming a cultivator.
Whenever he thought back to his naive smile whilst he signed that damned contract that got him into this mess, an urge to give his past self a tight slap in the face would arise.
Fortunately, over the years he remained unresigned to slaving away here and worked hard, day and night, to get to where he was today.
Due to that, he's reached the fourth stage of Qi Condensation Realm alongside having a decent grasp over his chosen martial art!
Taking into account his seven years of residency here it could be said that, even though he wasn't the most talented, he was at least slightly better than the bulk.
Unfortunately, that level of talent wasn't up to the Azure Profound Sect's standards.
Anyways, when you summed up all his efforts, desires, and the rashness that comes from being a young man, it became clear why he was reluctant to give up.
You know what?
F*ck this guy!
My legs are sore, and I don't think I can stand this anymore!
It's either do or die!
Thinking like this, Chen Dou burst forward with all his energy, ignoring the sharp pain in his knee, and executed a movement of the Yellow Monkey Palm Art- Monkey Reaching The Moon!
Around half a meter away from his opponent, he bent his knees and jumped upwards letting him reach a shocking height of a few meters!
Using the downward momentum from the fall, he struck out midair with a kick which aimed to shatter any sort of defence the enemy may have!
He wanted to end this in one kick!
*BANG*
Chen Dou felt a connection, and subconsciously thought it was over!
However, he suddenly noticed something was wrong.
Why am I so close to the ground?!
*THUD*
Without any explanation, he fell face-flat onto the solid ground and was knocked unconscious.
The referee promptly went on stage, then blew his whistle and said,
"PHWWWWWHHT, servant Zhang Wei wins round thirteen!"
A few servants then quickly walked on stage and dragged the unconscious Chen Dou off.
Whilst getting off stage himself, Zhang Wei felt rather emotional.
YES!
I've won my first official fight!
Aren't I just amazing?!
He then sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Thank god I had a good plan before stepping on stage, otherwise, even with that bad leg of his, he could've easily K.O'ed me into the next century!
To go further into detail, Zhang Wei's actions in that fight were all well thought out and based on the information he knew from the mysterious info sheet.
Zhang Wei initially planned to stay far away from his opponent, gunning for a battle of attrition whereby his opponent would eventually concede after realising that he couldn't do anything with his sore leg.
However, things usually don't always go to plan, and Chen Dou decided to charge at Zhang Wei instead of throwing in the towel.
But would Zhang Wei really be a paranoid caution-freak, if he didn't take this into account?
Zhang Wei considered a variety of attack patterns that someone practising the Yellow Monkey Palm Arts with a bad leg would take, and thought up various counters.
The Monkey Reaching The Moon movement was one he took into account, and Zhang Wei was already clear on the fact that Chen Dou would not use his bad foot.
Meaning that all Zhang Wei had to do was... get him off balance midair!
All he had to do was tap Chen Dou's leg a bit, then furiously roll away- and that's exactly what he had done!
Now, it could be said that it was very shameless of him to do this.
But...Zhang Wei wasn't ashamed in the slightest!
In fact, as the fight was finished, Zhang Wei thought to himself in amazement.
What a great fight!
I feel like I've now begun to understand the essence of fighting in this Xianxia world!
Heh, is this what it's like to be a true martial warrior?
Chapter 9: Five Years Of Insignificance (Part 9)
"-And from now on, the final match of the first round between Servant Lin Fan vs Servant Xiong Ji begins!"
*PWWWWWHTTT!*
As the referee's whistle shrieked, the bustle of the entire area came to a halt as almost every person shifted their attention towards the two men on stage- Who were standing on opposite sides to one another.
On one side was a lean and fair young man who gave off an air of valiance and arrogance to the spectators, because he fearlessly stood straight like a sword and stared head-on towards his monster of a foe without flinching once.
This very young man was Lin Fan.
The opponent of Lin Fan on the other side, Xiong Ji, was a total behemoth of a man.
He was almost inhumane with the fact that he stood at a menacing seven-foot tall. If that wasn't intimidating enough already, he had an incredibly bulky figure going for him as well, making him look like a hairless grizzly bear.
With these completely contrasting descriptions in mind, it wasn't hard for the crowd to put two and two together, and come to the conclusion that this was going to be nothing short of a thrashing!
And... this was exactly what they came here to see!
Since this world was one where fighting and killing were commonplace, it made sense that its inhabitants would relish watching brutal and gory fights.
As the crowd waited in anticipation for the brawl to begin, Xiong Ji shouted to his opponent with clear disdain in his voice, as if was talking to a dirty rat that was running around the house, and said,
"So you're the puny sh*t everyone in their mother has been yapping on about recently!
"Supposedly, you're some chivalrous and heroic guy that uses his mighty powers to destroy any injustice he sees.
"Bullshit!
"I don't buy it one bit!
"From what I see, you've just been spreading this nonsense around shamelessly in order to get others to toot your horn and make you feel better about yourself!"
Xiong Ji's chubby face then morphed from his previous disdainful expression into a sinister one, as he finished off his speech by saying,
"So, in order to open everyone's eyes and let them see how much of an impudent and disrespectful nobody you are...
...I'll personally beat you until you learn your place and beg for mercy!"
Then without even giving Lin Fan any time to refute, he swung into motion and charged at Lin Fan with his mountainous body- Like a bull who had just spotted something red.
The speed at which he travelled was slow for the first few seconds, but once the momentum kicked in, he gained enough pace to even put some athletes back on earth to shame!
*BAM*
The distance between both competitors was not too far, so Xiong Ji's rash strategy of heading straight at Lin Fan at top speed and shoulder-barging him was plausible!
YES!
SHOULDER BARGING!
Everyone in the crowd was gob-smacked by this move, as this meant one thing.
Xiong Ji was showing blatant disregard towards Lin Fan!
Instead of making a proper move using the Black Bear Fist Arts that he was known to use, he went ahead and simply tried slamming into him!
But this unexpected move was not at all the most shocking thing.
Instead, it was the bizarre scene that presented itself after the collision occurred.
On stage, the whole crowd witnessed as Lin Fan stretched out one arm and smoothly grabbed a hold of the hastily approaching Xiong Ji by the shoulder, causing him to come to a complete halt- It was as if Xiong Ji had just collided with an immovable wall!
Silence filled the entire arena.
How was this possible?!
Wasn't this the part where Lin Fan is flattened and becomes a human pancake?
As the audience got swept up in their own stupor, Lin Fan began squeezing firmly on his opponent's shoulder, causing a resounding crunch sound to echo out.
Then the subsequent image of Xiong Ji squirming to escape Lin Fan's grasp whilst donning an expression of panicked terror was presented to the viewers.
"AHHHHHHHH! YOU B*STARDDDDDD!"
Xiong Ji screeched at the top of his lungs, and then out of sheer panic punched towards Lin Fan's face with his free arm in utmost desperation.
Wrong move.
Before the punch could get anywhere close enough, Lin Fan used his other arm to grab his wrist and then started crushing both his shoulder and wrist simultaneously.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Xiong Ji, again, gave out a howl of pure agony for a few breaths of time before...
*THUD*
...he collapsed onto the solid ground and fainted.
"..."
No one said anything.
No one could say anything.
The thing that broke this prolonged silence was Lin Fan's finishing words which responded throughout the arena for everyone to hear.
"I, Lin Fan, have won this round.
"And it's a certainty I will win the next one!
"And then I will continue to win, until I win this entire tournament!"
Lin Fan then took a short pause before saying,
"But...that's not all I will do.
"I will also free everyone from all the oppression caused by this corrupt system in the servant quarters!
"But to do this, I need your help!
"To all those that want to escape from this place, trust in me and bet your money on me for these upcoming rounds. Like that, we will be able to strike back at those filthy oppressors who keep us captive in this place!
"Don't you all know those greedy old bastards who run the betting ring are the ones who steal all the top positions and prevent others from returning home to see their loved ones?!
"Don't you all know that they are the scums that are forcing you to continue your lives as slaves?
"But with just a tiny bit of trust in me, I can help you all with gaining the freedom you all desire!"
After giving that speech, he walked off stage without even sparing a glance at his unconscious opponent or the audience.
After the crowd took in all the shock and regained their bearing, they went into a complete uproar!
"Wow! Is what he said really true?! Can he really free me?!"
"Of course, he can! After seeing his miraculous strength in person, I'm sure he can do it!"
"Yeah, Yeah! I'm totally in!"
It was so rowdy, that when the referee went up to do his job and officially announce the results, his voice was buried by the bustle of the audience and no one could hear him.
Throughout this entire ordeal, there was only one person who hadn't shown a major reaction from start to finish.
Zhang Wei.
From the very beginning, he was sure that Lin Fan would not lose to Xiong Ji.
As for the whole plan to 'destroy the corrupt system'?
It didn't make much of a difference to him as he had already bet every penny he had on Lin Fan.
Although that was boring and cringey, at least I can now say I've contributed to a righteous cause!
I mean I know having good publicity isn't worth much here, but if I make my bets public I'm sure I'll be seen as a saint!
...Or maybe just a lunatic fanboy.
"Y000000! Didn't he look totally badass down there!?
"Why did I not think about doing something like this after winning my match?!
"The guy literally claimed his own victory in this match, and the whole tournament, then straight up declared war on all the higher-ups in here!
"After seeing him I've come to realise that although being me is good and all, I wouldn't mind being him either!"
"Mhm, I agree with you, Tan Lin.
"Plus, although not as good-looking as me, he still has some good features here and there!
"I'm sure we'd get along well with each other!"
"I can already see it.
"A man like that must have a good appetite!
"Otherwise, how else would he be able to stop that beast with one hand?
"I'm sure we'd be great friends, and maybe we could even share a bowl of spirit pork together!"
"..."
After looking over at his supposed friends' fanatic expressions, Zhang Wei frowned and immediately knew that he wasn't an obsessed fanboy!
Except for Zi Hua, who was clenching his fists and silently muttering to himself that the heavens were unfair, by now the rest had gone on about how epic Lin Fan was for a solid fifteen minutes!
Zhang Wei was getting sick of it!
"Can't you all just shut your mouths, damn it?!
"I've been here the entire time and saw the fight as well, so there is no need to recount every single millisecond!
"And yes, I do agree with you guys to some degree.
"He's cool and awesome and charismatic and handsome and- *Cough* *Cough*...Yeah.
"But you've been parading on about him for ages!
"So let's just calm dow-"
[Congratulations Host, you've successfully spread your positive opinion on Lin Fan!]
[Remember, words can be worth a thousand gold and can make sure things don't go untold!]
[Words can also influence or assist certain outcomes!]
[An essential part of an 'ultimate background character' is their ability to use words effectively to shift or propel a narrative!]
[Sometimes, for a background character, their words mean thousands of times more than any of their actions!]
{You receive four days worth of cultivation using [Choose cultivation method]}
Seeing this appear, my eyes suddenly widened and I thought exasperatedly,
T-That works?!
Holy sh*t!
Doesn't that mean if I follow him around and spread the word about all his good deeds, wouldn't that mean I'll easily rise in cultivation?
Hehehe, is it really that easy?
But wait... wouldn't I count as a stalker or something by doing that?
...Surely not.
Looking at Zhang Wei's sudden pause mid-sentence, and then the rapid changes in his facial expression over a short span of time, the group became concerned.
"Hey, Zhang Wei, we'll stop!"
"Indeed Brother Zhang, the heavens are truly unfair."
"I'll shut up about him if you're that jealous of him, but there's no need to go and malfunction on us here!"
"Yeah...maybe we were going a little overboard-"
"LIN FAN NO.1, TILL THE DAY I DIE!
"If Lin Fan has a thousand fans, I'm one of them!
"If Lin Fan has a hundred fans, I'm one of them!
"If Lin Fan has ten fans, then I'm one of them!
"If Lin Fan has one fan, then that is me!
"And if he has no fans, then that means I'm no longer alive!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Since when can you become a given name?"
...
Whilst everyone had their own reaction to this whole ordeal.
One person, who had been watching the fight from a quiet area with a relatively poor view, felt their whole world collapse.
It was a young boy, who looked no older than nineteen, he was quite attractive with his black hair and blue eyes- To some degree, he looked a bit like Lin Fan.
The boy abruptly fell to his knees and then just lifelessly stared down at the ground, and after a few moments, teardrops began falling from his cheeks to the ground.
He laughed to himself and said as if he were reprimanding himself for his behaviour,
"Hahaha!
"I get it now, everything makes sense now!
"'That book' never lied to me, it's just that I was an overly optimistic clown!
"Just how crazy and disrespectful must I have seemed back then, when I shouted at my own parents about my name being the other way around!
"How much had my own loving family had to sacrifice to fulfil my dumb desire of getting to this sh*tty sect's servant area?!"
He proceeded to clench his fists and punch the ground a few times out of fury, and then continued,
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!
"I have been acting like a complete madman ever since I read 'that book' as a kid.
"And in the end, it turns out that..."
He paused mid-sentence, took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, then said disappointedly,
"...I, Fan Lin, was never the protagonist."
Chapter 10: Five Years Of Insignificance (Part 10)
(Food Court, Servant Compound)
"F*ck it all. I'm in!
"I'm already twenty-eight this year, and, for the life of me, I can't seem to break through in any aspect of cultivation!
"This may well be the only smidgen of hope left to get out of here, and I, for one, will be taking it!"
"Damn right brother!
"If a genius like Lin Fan can't help us escape, then at this point we might as well be damned!
"So why not bet on this spark of light that's emerged within this darkness!?
"It's not as if it could get much worse than this!"
"Me too...!"
With the first stage coming to a close, a brief interval was held so everything could be set up for the next stage.
During this interval, many servants decided to grab a bite to eat and discuss amongst each other the current hot topic, which, of course, was Lin Fan's announcement.
The food court was just a massive wooden building with rows of wooden tables and chairs set up, alongside an outside area with the same set-up, allowing a great number of servants to dine at once.
The building had a kitchen attached as well, with multiple trained servants constantly making batches of different meats, salads, and the like.
These foods would then be served in different portions and combinations, as per each customer's order.
Currently, sitting in one of the building's corners, was a group of five rowdy boys chowing down on a variety of meats and vegetables that filled the entire table.
"...Using my ultra-keen senses, I saw that the imbecile opposite to me was in some sort of momentary daze, so I hastily charged at him with all my strength and gave him a nasty whack to the nose!
"And then BOOM, that was him done and dusted!
"It honestly felt a bit too easy, but in fairness, his foe was an unparalleled combat prodigy seen only once in a million years!-"
"BULL-SH*T!
"If anyone here is a genius, then it's clearly me, Zi Hua!
"Unlike your opponent, who was desperately battling sleep, mine's was fully focused on me!
"Yet even then I outmanoeuvred that chump like the unstoppable menace I am, then eventually obliterated him with a bold feint!
"BANG, a hook to the face was all it took so that he couldn't tell the difference between me and his father!
"It's started to become clear to me that my father may have not lied to me, and that I might truly be the descendant of a certain Immortal Emperor!"
*THUD!*
The boy who had just been discredited for his win, Tan Lin, slammed the table and roared back,
"AS IF, SH*THEAD!
"Your opponent was some rookie who didn't know what was good for him and was, in simple terms, courting death!
"What 'descendant of an immortal emperor'?
"I'm more inclined to believe you have the blood of a dog running through your veins!"
"WHAT'D YOU SAY, TAN LIN?!
"You wanna fight?!
"Unlike you, who's all talk and has no real skills, I'm someone with a wide range of desirable traits!"
"YOU-!"
Looking at his two supposed 'friends' rigorously arguing like two raging chimpanzees, Zhang Wei felt a great urge to cut ties with them that instant.
But before he could even get a word in, Tang Fen stood up with a furious expression and said in a solemn tone,
"If both of you don't sit down and start eating peacefully, this instant, then I'll personally take it upon myself to start taste testing both your meals- and it'll be a thorough one at that!
"Do both of you not recall my motto?!
"If one doesn't respect their source of sustenance, then another shall!
"And I'll tell you now, 100% of the time that 'another' will be me!"
Tang Fen then hastily sat back down and started devouring a huge chicken wing with a joyful expression, as if he was just pretending to be angry earlier.
This threat seemed to have worked wonders, as both boys obediently took their seats and started munching as well- Of course, the nasty glare they gave one another hadn't changed.
Ah, it's been a while so I've forgotten that even that pig-b*stard has a reverse scale- Food!
A few years back, he went ballistic when Jin Feng jokingly stole something from his bowl, so in retaliation, Tang Fen took it upon himself to join Jin Feng for every lunch and then rapidly devour Jin Feng's entire meal, as well as his own, for an entire week!
He was reminiscent of one of those obscene influencers back on earth who would eat ungodly amounts of food at insane speeds, and then somehow have space for some extra!
Tch, I also don't get why he's acting all philosophical and sh*t by making a motto, you may as well just be honest with yourself and outright say you're a foodie!
After thinking to himself for a while, Zhang Wei also joined the others and went for another bite of his dish, when suddenly a waiter, kitted out in formal clothes, came up to the table and carefully placed down five plates.
Each dish was brightly glowing due to the spiritual energy oozing from the food, which was a testament to the incredible quality of the ingredients used in the dish.
The waiter then said with a friendly smile on his face.
"Greetings customers!
"I would once again like to thank you on behalf of the head chef, for allowing him to work with such incredible ingredients!
"Now without further ado, let me introduce the dish he's made!
"Starting off with the Purple-Scaled Peacock, we carefully descaled it, removed the wings, and trimmed off the fat around the edges. After which we took the breast and chopped it into even parts, then thoroughly seasoned it with spirit salt, pepper and a variety of exotic spices we have in the kitchen.
"We then cooked it to perfection and garnished it by drizzling it with the Lotus Lemons- As per your request.
"Moving on to the salad, we took your fifty-year-old Ice Ginseng and Steel-Skinned Radish, as well as some of the Mind-Cleansing Lettuce, then chopped them up and mixed them together.
"As requested, we've plated them into five portions and sent all the unused ingredients back to your area of residence.
"Now I will not bother esteemed guests any longer, and let you enjoy your meal!"
The waiter then gave an elegant bow, then scurried away, leaving the group of five boys who all had bewildered expressions painted across their faces.
"Hey?
"Did any of you even order any more food?"
Tan Lin asked the entire group inquisitively.
Everyone shook their heads implying they didn't.
"...Wellllll thennnnn, I think it's only fair to act like upstanding members of society and report this back to the staff as clearly we've been given someone else's dish-!"
"BULLSH*T!
"TAN LIN YOU FIEND! HOW DARE YOU SPOUT SUCH DRIVEL IN MY PRESENCE!"
As if Tan Lin's words were akin to high treason, Tang Fen shot up from his seat and interrupted Tan Lin with a shout of pure rage as if he were the incarnation of an asura!
"As responsible citizens, we should be making sure none of this food spoils!
"And in order to do that we must, most regretfully, EAT IT ALL!
"Otherwise, it's clear that this food will just end up in the bin because it's been out for too long!"
Although Teng Fen said that he felt remorseful, everything from his body language to the look in his eyes suggested otherwise.
As if to further dispel any chance of him being remorseful, Tang Fen hastily grabbed a plate and dug in without another word- One bite was all it took for him to be entranced by the food.
Not wanting to be left behind, everyone took a plate for themselves and began digging in.
Tch, tch, you devious fatty!
You know much better than me that food with such insane spiritual density would take weeks to spoil!
Lucky for you, I've buffed our luck to unimaginable levels, therefore I'm sure this was fated to be ours. So we don't need to worry about any revenge!
After Zhang Wei finished thinking that, he began to dig into the scrumptious meal until an interesting system notification popped up!
[Ding!]
[Notifying the Host that 32% of the 'Luck Booster(x2)' has been used to activate a random 'Plot Providence' for one time!]
[Dragons Don't Devour Dogs (Unique): This Plot Providence, if procced, allows its possessor to inevitably acquire the most exquisite dish within the vicinity one way or another.
Note: One digests the food as would a true dragon.]
Seeing almost a third of his lifeline gone, and a fancy thing called 'Plot Providence' show up, Zhang Wei was unsurprisingly startled.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, what sort of bullsh*t is this?!
Although some good grub is welcomed here and there, but not in this case!
I mean, come on!
A whole third of my only form of protection from being beheaded has now been turned into some little meal!
F*CK!
I don't want this fancy 'Plot Providence' or whatever, I want the OP luck that lets me solo everything!
And the stupid system hasn't even bothered to explain to me what it is yet!
Feeling a bit panicked by this sudden turn of events, Zhang Wei hesitated no longer and grabbed a bit of the succulent meat from the plate and started eating.
As the food entered his mouth, an explosion of flavour erupted inside his mouth!
The juicy, tender meat melted as he chewed into it.
He was instantly hooked, just like the rest of the group.
Unbeknownst to them, each time they took a bite, the amount of spiritual energy within their dantian began to grow and become more concentrated to an exaggerated degree!
It wouldn't be wrong to say that eating this dish saved them several months of bitter cultivation!
After a few minutes of furious eating, the whole group let out a satisfied sigh and comfortably leaned on the cushioned backrest of the chair. Each person had an ecstatic smile on their face as if they'd just been to paradise.
But all of a sudden, one person sprung into a lotus position and began to breathe rhythmically.
The person's eyes were closed, and he seemed to be in a state of intense focus.
Seeing this spontaneous action, the four other people snapped out of their daze and raised their eyebrows!
"W-What?!"
"H-How?"
"He's..."
"...Breaking through?!"
Each of them stared at the person, horrified.
After all to them, who were all untalented cultivator wannabes, it was unthinkable that someone could break through from some food!
But it was real!
And the four of them were witnesses to this very scene!
"No way. I thought he pulled it out his ass when he preached that 'The true essence of the Dao was what made one happy'."
"...To think that a meal was all it took for him to get to a place where only ages of cultivation could take me."
"Is he actually a senior who restarted their cultivation journey in order to solidify their foundation?"
All of them began seeing the person in a new light!
Even more surprisingly, only a few minutes later the person opened their eyes and started stretching as if they had just woken up from a nap!
He'd successfully broken through!
The whole group was about to erupt with questions, but before they could even get a word in, the person said,
"Oi shitheads, when we gonna get seconds?"
"..."
After hearing that, everyone's expressions went blank and they all had the same thought running through their head.
Tch, never mind.
He's just a pig b*stard!
Chapter 11: Five Years of Insignificance (Part 11)
Inside a luxurious room, that had wonderful paintings and fanciful lights on the walls, a group of five men were sitting around a beautiful mahogany table.
Each gave off an oppressive aura of their own, except one.
Steward Qin!
As he stiffly sat on the chair at the head of the table, a drop of sweat trickled down his brow.
Damn, Damn, Damn!
What are those fools in the kitchen doing?
I'd given them a bunch of expensive spiritual ingredients that cost me my soul, so to ensure that this chat with these old foxes goes as planned!
But after waiting forty minutes...nothing!
Why can't anything go right nowadays?!
That damned Lin Fan, ever since he's gotten into the picture, my life has been going in a downward spiral!
Currently, Steward Qin was in a desperate situation.
With him recently losing his young master's favour, and with all the public outrage on his tyrannical ways, everything had gotten a bit chaotic.
'No matter' was what Steward Qin first thought before the competition started.
He'd planned to personally destroy Lin Fan in the competition, and put a stop to his nonsense.
'Naive' was his first thought after seeing Lin Fan thoroughly obliterate the opponent he'd arranged to scope out his abilities.
He was really too naive.
Steward Qin recalled being so shocked that he'd almost dislocated his jaw from opening it so wide!
Maybe if he were a bit younger, he'd be able to do it with the assistance of all his wealth.
But he stood no chance with his frail, bony body, which looked as though it could crumple from some large gust of wind!
In his nervous flurry, he frantically used all the connections he had to gather four of the powerhouses in the servant quarters and try to persuade them to complete what he could not.
"Qin Gou, you called the four of us out to treat us to a meal, yet I've not yet seen a single plate of food yet!
"Is this some sort of joke?"
The voice that spoke was authoritative and raspy, compelling one not to interrupt or question the voice.
Snapping out of his anxious daze, Steward Qin hastily replied in a respectful and almost bootlicking tone,
"Of course not, Brother Liu!
"I'd entrusted those fools in the kitchen to make the food for us, yet who could've thought they'd mess up to this degree!
"I truly apologise for this lack of judgement on my end, I'll make sure to punish those imbeciles for delaying your precious time!"
Hearing Steward Qin's frantic apology, this 'Brother Liu' seemed to be satisfied, as he laughed and said,
"Hahaha! Am I, Liu Gu, such a petty person to punish someone over a few minutes?
"Us cultivators inherently live longer lives than mortals, so a mere few minutes isn't much of a worry, and seeing that you have apologised.
"I'll let this matter go.
"Anyways, since no food is coming just hurry up and say what you want!
"I know your not the type to call us out just for a meal!"
This 'Liu Gu' was an old man that had quite a reputation within the servant quarters, due to his ruthlessness during tournaments and tendency towards violence.
The number of people he had personally killed or crippled by 'accident' was well into three figures.
Normally, an orthodox sect like Azure Profound Sect would never allow such a murderer to be part of the sect!
However, Liu Gu had done well to disguise the deaths as accidents and also had some connections within the sect, therefore no consequences became him.
Plus, the number of people who had actually been able to leave the servant quarters was pathetically low, so who on the outside would even find out about his crimes?
Hearing Liu Gu's words, Steward Qin put on a nervous smile as he knew this fellow was far from peaceful and said anxiously,
"Indeed, indeed, fellow Daoist is wise.
"I, Qin Gou, do have a favour to ask of you all.
"Recently, as I'm sure you all know, a rat called Lin Fan has been causing a stir in the servant quarters causing me some trouble.
"His strength is abnormally high for his age, and he is a rebellious brat who puts no one in his eyes!
"He even insulted young master Wang without second thought not long after he arrived!
"It's simply unacceptable!"
Thinking about Lin Fan and all the trouble he's caused him, he angrily slammed the desk and said,
"From what I've observed, that boy was powerless until recently, therefore he must've gained some fortuitous encounter like a technique or artifact that's allowed him to receive such a significant boost in power!
"You could easily get your hands on that, and who knows, your path to external elder may be paved!
"On top of that, you'd also gain the young master's favour!
"And since I'm asking you for this favour, I'm even willing to pay half a spirit stone as a reward to show my sincerity!
After Steward Qin finished talking of all the lucrative benefits, a period of silence ensued as the four old men mulled over what they wanted to do.
However, seeing the expression on their faces after understanding all the benefits, it was pretty damn obvious that they were eager to do it!
After all, it was already a preconceived notion to them that everyone, except them, in the servant quarters was ants!
Phew, thank god! Looks like I've been able to persuade them.
Although half a spirit stone is quite the price, it's worth it to get rid of that pesky b*stard.
Plus, knowing how impatient these old guys are, I won't have to wait long before Lin Fan is six feet under.
Tch, it's a pity though.
If possible, I'd really have wanted to get my hands on that secret strength of Lin Fan's instead of handing it over to these old foxes.
However, not everything goes to plan!
Soon enough, everyone seemed to have been ready to accept the task until...
"Hey, Qin Gou?
"Aren't you being a bit insincere here?
"You only have a hunch that this brat has some treasure, and there is no conclusive evidence.
"Plus, even if there is something, it may only be useful for a weak runt like him who has just begun his cultivation journey!"
Liu Gu mouth curved into a wide smile, and said demandingly,
"Two spirit stones."
Hearing his words, Steward Qin winced.
He glanced at Liu Gu's smile which looked more like a devil's smirk, and the said with a wry smile on his face.
"Sure, two spirit stones it is."
After agreeing, Steward Qin felt his heart bleed.
...Indeed, nothing ever goes to plan.
...
With the arrival of the next round of the competition, more acts of violence ensued.
Some fights lasted prolonged periods of time, where a ruthless test of perseverance and stamina took place.
Other fights were simple and clean, due to one party completely overwhelming the other.
However, none of the previous matches could begin to compare to the obscurity of this one.
*Whoosh!*
*Thud!*
A wrinkly old man, who was famously known as one of the ten strongest individuals within the servant quarters, was sent flying off a mere punch from a boy a fraction of his age!
"Do you see people?!
"When it comes down to it, this person that strikes fear in you all and forces everyone to stay within this cage is nothing more than a vain old man!
"Compared to me, all these powerhouses are just old dogs with one foot in the grave!
"So trust me!
"Believe in me!
"And through unity, we will bring down evil once and for all!"
The winner, Lin Fan, like last time, declared to everyone with absolute assurance that he would be the hero that will help them all reach freedom.
Snapping out their astonishment at seeing Lin Fan easily beat one of the strongest in the place, everyone in the audience began to loudly chant Lin Fan's name with reverence.
"Lin Fan!"
"Lin Fan!"
"Lin Fan!"
It was a shocking scene!
Lin Fan had truly won the people's hearts!
Within the sea of people, Zhang Wei was viewing this scene with raised eyebrows as if he was still caught up in the shock of what was displayed in the match.
But that wasn't why he was shocked.
Zhang Wei had long known that Lin Fan would absolutely win, no matter what, so the matches couldn't really bring about much excitement.
No, what truly stunned Zhang Wei was a notification and a consequent realisation.
[Through having previously interacted with another feature of the system, the Host has now unlocked said feature permanently!]
[Successfully unlocked system authority: {Providence Analysis}]
[The Host will also receive: {Basic Summary of Plot Providence and Providence Analysis}]
The instant the notification came through, a huge surge of information rushed to Zhang Wei's brain causing him to have a piercing headache.
The pain faded as quickly as it came, and after regaining clarity Zhang Wei instantly looked into the information that he gained.
{Plot Providence}
[This term refers to the ways the protagonist's, or another individual's, luck is shaped. And depending on this, the effects that luck brings to the person can vary. For example, a protagonist with the Plot Providence, 'Death Is Only An Inch Away, However, The Treasure Isn't So Far Away', will allow the individual to gain a mighty treasure or an incredible fortuitous encounter whenever they are close to death.]
[Plot Providence may also be split into four categories]
(Permanent Providence)
These are types/shapes of luck that are constant throughout the protagonist's life and do not change or leave the protagonist throughout their journey.
(Variable Providence)
These are types/shapes of luck which can change throughout the protagonist's journey and morph into other forms giving the protagonist an entirely new plot providence with a brand new effect.
(Situational Providence)
These are types/shapes of luck that only arise in certain 'scenarios' for the protagonist, and then quickly disappear thereafter.
(Unexpected/Exotic Providence)
These are types/shapes of luck that can appear randomly without cause for anyone, not just within a protagonist, and can stay with the person for as long as a lifetime, or as short as a single moment.
...
{Providence Analysis}
[This authority allows the Host to analyse any living and non-living being's luck, and identify any Plot Providences they may have alongside a brief description of said Plot Providence's effects.]
[This authority can be used at any time, for an unlimited number of times.]
...
*Thump* *Thump*
After a few moments of taking everything in, Zhang Wei's heart began to beat intensely and his breathing pattern became chaotic.
As the seconds passed, Zhang Wei found it harder and harder to restrain the ecstatic grin which tried to creep up on his face.
T-T...This is simply incredible!
Through the system, I'm actually able to look into the luck of different beings and identify mystical things such as plot providence?!
Not only would this be really helpful in finding out more about the protagonist, and also allow me to possibly understand what type of troubles they will face.
But most importantly...
Isn't this totally the set-up for my epic tales as a heavenly master who has multiple over-whelming powerful disciples?!
Zhang Wei didn't think of himself as a pig, but right now he felt like squealing with joy!
I could totally just travel the around world after getting some power, find some ultra-lucky non-protagonists with OP providences, and then become their master before they inevitably become powerhouses!
After that, all that awaits me is a carefree and happy life with no worries at all.
Cause what could possibly worry me with an army of mega-powerful disciples behind my back?
As Zhang Wei was drifting off to dreamland, a sudden shake of his shoulder snapped him back to reality.
"Zhang Wei!
"Hurry up and get up, dumbass!"
As Zhang Wei regained his bearings he turned around with a frown to see which bastard interrupted his daydream.
Only to see Tan Lin look at him with his eyebrows furrowed inquisitively, but still, he pointed his finger down at the stage and said with urgency,
"I don't know what you were daydreaming about, but now isn't the time.
"I've already finished my fight, and the other three are still in battle.
"You've got some clueless rookie waiting for an ass beating over on stage 4, so be a good senior and teach him a lesson!"
After listening to him, without a second thought, Zhang Wei jumped up from the bench and hurriedly shuffled his way through the crowded spectator's area over to stage 4.
Fuck, I'm so brain-dead!
I was too immersed in my excitement over the system feature that I didn't even get to use it on Lin Fan, and I almost missed my fight as well.
I really need to get that stoicism shit down my throat or something, cause I've been getting way too emotional about stuff!
As he reached the stage, he hopped up and two people alongside the large stone stage entered his vision.
One of the figures was the judge, who had his arms crossed with an annoyed expression on his face- He probably didn't get paid any overtime to deal with this sort of shit.
Upon seeing Zhang Wei, the judge didn't hesitate to blow his whistle to indicate the start of the fight and then left the stage, giving Zhang Wei one last glare before he went.
After readjusting his focus on his opponent, Zhang Wei was shocked to see that the kid seemed... lifeless.
Although Zhang Wei called the opponent a kid as he was a newbie, he actually looked to be the same age as Zhang Wei.
What further surprised him was this guy had a striking resemblance to the one and only Lin Fan!
Noticing these strange things Zhang Wei was a bit curious about the guy, but regardless, his cautious personality made sure he didn't let his guard down at all and he remained firmly in the defensive stance of my Green Turtle Palm Art.
As the minutes passed with daunting silence hanging in the air, Zhang Wei came to understand that this weird guy had no intention of moving.
Fuck, why am I so unlucky all of a sudden!
I hate these opponents the most since it means I can't use my art to its fullest potential!
And as a warrior and martial artist, how else should I use my arts if not to their fullest potential?!
Although Zhang Wei was right in thinking that the Green Turtle Palm Arts were most effective when used reactively, what he refused to admit was that he could launch an attack himself anyways!
It was clear that the opponent had no will to fight and just showed up to avoid the punishment that would be issued for not showing up for a fight.
But even if the opponent was faking his expression, it would still be the right move to test the waters by making a flexible attack that allowed for an easy retreat.
Unfortunately, this was something Zhang Wei would never do in a million years.
Why?
Cause he was a scaredy cat, and a massive one a that!
The reason why he had stayed in his dorm and cultivated constantly was that he was scared of potential danger outside, that wasn't there!
The reason why he only took up extremely basic missions made for even mortals, was because they were the safest!
This was the fatal weakness that had been brought about by being transmigrated into this magical world from a lawful modern world- He was simply just too wary of everything!
Of course, Zhang Wei himself always made excuses for this weakness and did not acknowledge the fact that he was overly cautious.
Even now, in front of a harmless opponent, he was just standing there stalling for his opponent's move because making a move himself was an 'inefficient and non-optimal' use of his martial arts.
Hmph, I know this guy is just waiting for me to approach him so he can launch a sneak attack!
Although he's a newbie, he's a crafty one!
Since it seems like we are in a stalemate right now, I guess I'll test my new system ability!
Although there probably isn't muc-
W-w...what the... is this for real?!?!!!!!
As he glanced at the boy's providence using {Providence Analysis}, Zhang Wei's mind went into chaos as he unintentionally blurted out loud...
"Jackpot."
Chapter 12: Five Years of Insignificance (Part 12)
"...Jackpot!"
This exclamation of delight was the first sign of life that I had witnessed from my opponent since this 'match' had kicked off a few minutes ago.
Before this, he stood stationary in what I believed to be a stance of that turtle martial art, as if his life was dependent on it.
Has he finally caught on to the fact that I've got no will to fight?
After understanding that the inevitable beating was finally approaching, I let out a weary sigh and focused my attention on this opponent of mine for the first time.
As I scanned him with my eyes from head to toe, a word popped into my head that perfectly described this guy.
Average.
A plain face with no redeeming features that currently had a large smile adorned on it, a standard height and build, alongside dull black hair, eyebrows and eyes.
Overall, he was someone who could be forgotten about- even if he were in front of you- and someone that you wouldn't be able to notice inside a crowd- even if you tried.
If I remember correctly... his name was something along the lines of Zhang... Pei.
No, that doesn't sound right.
Maybe it was Zhang... Hei?
Ah, Fuck it! Who cares?!
Seems like even a mundane guy like this finds my pitiful-looking ass amusing!
I mean look at that guy's smile. It's as if he'd just found a box full of gold that only had a clown protecting it!
I gritted my teeth due to the frustration of being on the receiving end of a mocking smile like that.
And with this oncoming torrent of anger, came an impulse to fight back.
Of course, not physically.
Rather. Verbally.
Out of rashness, I couldn't seem to hold back this sudden urge, and shouted at the annoying bastard,
"Stop smiling at me like a stupid freak and come fight me, you prick!"
After saying that, my opponent's eyebrows raised a bit showing his surprise at my sudden action.
Seeing that smile stiffen slightly, a tinge of satisfaction come about me.
It made me feel like provoking him more.
After all, I was getting my ass beat soon anyways!
Why not net some fun out of it?
With this self-destructive thought in mind, I leaned over a bit and brought my face forward closer to the opponent without stepping forward.
I then tilted my head away from my opponent, as if I was looking past his shoulder, then pointed at my cheek with my index finger and said in a mocking tone,
"See where I'm pointing to right now?!
"That's where I'll let you hit me since I'm a generous person who likes giving charity to rats like you!
"Now come quickly, and accept this young master's kindness!"
The exact moment the last word flowed out of my mouth, a huge grin appeared on my face!
I was a hundred per cent aware that this would infuriate him, but I didn't care!
I had bottled up all my sorrow and rage towards that damned 'book' for far too long and needed to let it all out.
After my rush of exhilaration dwindled to the point where I was thinking rationally again, I shut my eyes and prepared myself mentally for what was to come.
I clenched my jaw tightly, tensed as many muscles as I could at once, and braced for impact.
At this point, I was only hoping for this pounding to be over quickly.
As enough seconds passed by for even a spirit snail to reach me and give me an ass-whooping, I squinted my eyes open a bit to review the situation.
What I saw was my opponent, in all his simplicity, looking at me from a few inches away.
My eyes widened upon seeing his face.
This time his expression was one that was very different from what it was a few moments ago.
Pity. Respect. Empathy. Excitement.
And various other emotions all seemed to congeal into the expression he was making.
It was as if he had found a long-lost brother that had endured the same pain and agony that he had once before.
A barrage of questions flooded my mind as to why this was happening, which caused a blockage in my throat as I couldn't string up a singular coherent question.
Without waiting for my mind to calm, his lips parted slightly and he whispered to me in what sounded to me like a rueful tone,
"So... I see you've also read a scripture and fallen victim to its side effects."
As I heard those words, my pupils constricted and my head went blank as I looked at my seemingly average opponent.
I couldn't help but blurt in response,
"S-Scripture? D-Does this mean you also-!"
Before I could even finish, the boy said solemnly,
"We will talk later, now isn't the time or place to do so."
My unceasing curiosity wanted me to refute, however, I didn't have the chance to speak a single syllable before a rock-hard impact struck my chin squarely.
My world started to spin, and I uncontrollably fell to the ground.
What accompanied my fall into the realm of unconsciousness was the boy's voice saying a sentence that was incomprehensible to me.
"...The Demonic Dao of Wish-Fullfilment is indeed a devious one."
...
Walking off stage, Zhang Wei took one last glance at his opponent, that was being taken away by a few assistants, and couldn't help but feel rather satisfied with his actions.
Hehe, I knew it was the right move to use the shock factor of exposing his life-changing cheat to make him careless and exploit it!
Not only does it ensure any of the schemes and tricks he might have had up his sleeves were unusable, but I've even been able to attract his interest towards me by giving myself an air of mystery!
If this isn't the definition of killing two birds with one stone, then I don't know what is!
After gloating about his flawless plan and perfect victory for a bit, Zhang Wei's expression hardened as he recalled that guy's providence.
The way to use providence analysis was to focus on the label that appeared above everyone's heads indicating their relevance, and then a drop-down section would appear.
After a moment, the name and description of the providence would appear- If they had any.
...
[Background Character]
...
{Providence Analysis}
{One Plot Providence discovered for this target}
Description: Allows the individual to view the flow of fate through a novel representation. The target of this 'fate analysis' is determined by which lifeform holds the most concentrated amounts of fate and causes the largest waves within the river of time to occur.
Limitation(s) include:
-An analysis of one target at a time, until said target either perishes, loses its said fate concentration, or is outwith of the random radius of the providence.
-Random radius of providence fluctuates after each target and is not fixed.
-Interference with the fate of a target will cause a backlash of immense proportions.
...
Reading this ridiculous assortment of words back on stage, it was no wonder that Zhang Wei felt like he'd won the lottery!
Wasn't this the single most perfect match to his damned Ultimate Background Character System?!
Zhang Wei knew that in order to utilise his system to its maximum, he'd need to predict the protagonist's moves to make sure he performed his role as a background character immaculately!
And this guy just so happened to know the protagonist's future and every move he'd make!
He was the partner in crime sent from the heavens!
Zhang Wei decided he had to rope him in as an ally or a friend, no matter what.
By the time he snapped out of his train of thought, he'd already unconsciously walked back to his seating location where the other four were looking at him strangely.
Seeing their faces, Zhang Wei knew he must have had a strange expression on his face, and quickly said to preserve his image,
"What you bastards looking at with such dumb looks on your faces?
"Can't a man be happy after showing off his own mighty strength?"
Hearing such shameless words, the rest just looked at Zhang Wei with straight faces.
After a few moments of silence, Tan Lin spoke up and said in an unusually solemn tone,
"...It's almost time boys."
Everyone raised an eyebrow at his words, wondering what the ever-carefree and sarcastic Tan Lin was getting all nervous about.
Seeing that all his friends were in the dark, Tan Lin gulped and then said with some hesitance.
"This next match determines the top 10.
"If we fail here, at best some of us will be left behind to rot in this place.
"And at worst...
"We could die."
"..."
A deathly silence hung in the air as his final words left his lips.
As if it was rehearsed, the rest, except one, all said in unison.
"Shit."
Zhang Wei, seeing his friends' exceptionally grim expressions, couldn't help but snicker inwardly as he thought to himself,
Although it's natural for them to be nervous in this situation, it's still funny seeing it actually happen!
To think that the guys, whose most stressful situation in the past few years was whether they could get their hands on a chicken feast meal ticket or if they could touch a real women's hands in future, were now facing such a trial!
Heh, if only people could be as calm and collected as me in dire situations, then I'm sure the world would be a much better place!
However, not long after thinking this... two unsavoury system notifications popped up.
[Item- Temporary Luck Booster has expired.]
[Item- Temporary Luck Booster has expired.]
"SHIT!"
...
Within a secluded sheltered area, not very far from the battle area, a handsome young man was inspecting a small spherical orb that was laying inside a bowl.
It looked quite similar to a marble and had an almost imperceptible gleam of blue radiating off it.
Seeing the thing, the boy's eyes were as wide as saucers and his hands seemed to be shaking as he held the bowl close to his face, aiming to get an even better glimpse of this 'marble'
"T-This is insane!
"Every single alchemist in this world would surely kill themselves from shame after seeing this war crime of a pill refinement!"
The boy's voice rang out in the area a pitch higher than usual, indicating how astounded he was.
But in contrast to the boy's excitement and disbelief, the voice that only the boy could hear said in a dispirited tone,
"Tch, merely a high-grade pill.
"If any of my old brothers back home saw that I personally made this atrocity, they'd definitely mock me for all eternity!
"But, I guess it's to be expected seeing the quality of materials and conditions of refinement."
After a while of the two being overwhelmed by their own thoughts, the old voice spoke out sternly,
"Lin Fan, you brat!
"How can you get so emotional over a mere pill like this?!
"Snap out of it!
"I thought you'd matured a little after coming up with a solid plan like this earlier, but at this rate, you'll be too late to even carry out that plan!"
Hearing the voice of Old Man Yi, Lin Fan instantly got out of his revere and started sprinting towards the battle area with the newly made pill in his hand.
...
Back in the training area, Zhang Wei was currently on stage having the biggest panic attack of his life!
As much as he'd tried his best to stall the start of the match for as long as possible, he still couldn't avoid the inevitable.
Looking in front of him, he saw his opponent.
Honestly, 'opponent' was the wrong word to use here.
Because that would somewhat imply that there would be some form of opposition from his side to be had.
Which there was not.
Zhang Wei knew crystal clear about the fact that he was about to get pummeled- Badly at that.
His 'pummeler' was an older man that looked to be in his late forties with a severely recessed hairline, and bulging muscles that the fanciful robes he wore could not cover.
The man seemed to be born to wear a malicious grin and the glaring red letters that spelt 'Antagonist' floating above his head seemed to answer why.
So with such a nasty combination of features combined into one person, the cowardly Zhang Wei was infinitely close to pissing his pants.
As the judge blew the whistle that officially marked Zhang Wei as a dead man, he sprinted off the stage faster than light itself.
Now, all that remained was the slaughter to commence.
Zhang Wei's mind was in complete disarray.
Shit, shit, shit and shit!
This old bastard is definitely the final boss in this place!
Why god, why?!!!
Couldn't you have let that damn luck booster last me one more round!?
Before Zhang Wei could even think of giving up or begging for mercy, the man did as would any other shitty third-rate xianxia antagonist and...
...chatted mass amounts of bullshit.
"Do not think of preserving your life, boy.
"Even if you give up. I will kill you.
"Even if you beg like a dog. I will kill you.
"Even if you try to threaten me. I will kill you.
"No one can save you.
"So embrace the wonder of death, and feel honoured to be sliced in half by my mighty blade!"
...
Oh yeah... he also had a humongous black sword on his back.
Chapter 13: Five Years of Insignificance (Part 13)
Think Zhang Wei, think!
You've read way too many trashy xianxia novels to fall to a guy whose lifespan is at most one chapter!
Hmmm, one-dimensional antagonists.
They are simple-minded, and don't think much further than ' I don't like the look of this guy, let's kill him'.
They have self-esteem higher than the heavens, and anything that isn't praise towards their greatness is merely courting death.
Wait!
...Self-esteem?
...Self-esteem!!!
After reaching an epiphany, Zhang Wei snapped out of his daze only to realise that the semi-baldy was already locked and loaded, ready to chop him in half!
A chilly, daunting feeling of death drenched Zhang Wei.
This was it.
He might really die!
Panic came in at full throttle, and the string of words he wanted to say to try and save himself was caught up in his throat.
Seeing that his prey was paralyzed, the sinister smirk on the fully-grown man's face widened, and he kicked himself forward towards Zhang Wei with the intent to kill.
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!
Seeing the fiend approach him at an inhumane speed, Zhang Wei's mind fell into chaos and he did the only thing he could think of.
*THUD*
"ESTEEMED SIR, BEFORE YOU KILL ME, I BEG YOU GRANT ME SOME LAST WORDS!"
...Zhang Wei dropped to his knees and kowtowed.
*Silence*
After a few moments, Zhang Wei finally clocked that the flurry of approaching footsteps had come to a stop.
Feeling his heart still rapidly thumping in his chest, he knew he was alive.
The old man's voice then rang out a few steps away saying,
"I, Liu Gu, am not some bloodthirsty barbarian.
"As such, I will give you, my opponent, some respect and let you express your final woes.
"Call it some mercy to a weakling who knows their place."
Regaining a bit of clarity from the hope brought by this improved situation, Zhang Wei decisively made another bizarre move.
*THUMP*
He brought his head up and instantly smashed it right back down onto the solid stage floor so hard that Zhang Wei thought his skull had split!
Though regardless of the pain, Zhang Wei toughed it out and spoke up with the utmost respect,
"Thank you sir for your great benevolence!
"Thanks to you I will be able to drink Meng Po's Soup with peace of mind!"
Hearing such appreciation and praise in Zhang Wei's voice, Liu Gu snorted and said with a hint of satisfaction,
"Hmph kid, it's only natural that a senior, as great as I, sends off his juniors with peace of mind!
"Now hurry up and say what you want before I send you to the afterlife!"
Hearing Liu Gu once again affirm that he would let him speak, Zhang Wei couldn't help but tremble from excitement!
Why?
Because even though Zhang Wei never prided himself on his strength or wits, the one thing he was most confident in was spouting grade-A bullshit!
"Oh great heaven's above, I thank thee for giving me the honour of returning to the earth by the hands of a virtuous paragon such as Venerate Liu!
"Oh, dearest mother.
"Although this insignificant son of yours had promised you, before you forsook your mortal coil, that I'd one day become a man whose name would spread from East to West... I have regretfully not been able to accomplish it.
"But I feel neither ashamed nor saddened, as I know that you'll surely forgive me for breaking my promise!
"After all, I have attained great merit to our family name by dying to someone like Grand Venerable Liu, who will carry on my dying wishes and ascend to heights no mere mortal can imagine!"
*THUD*
After finishing another sentence, Zhang Wei once more bashed his head onto the solid floor.
This time, as he lifted his head a crimson stain was left behind on the floor.
...
Liu Gu, watching this insanity unfold in front of him, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow from confusion.
Usually, his opponents would beg for mercy or go for a desperate last move, and he expected this boy to do the same thing.
But he hadn't.
Instead, the boy began rambling and bashing his head on the floor.
It was bizarre to Liu Gu.
But more than that... It was fun.
Very fun.
For some reason or another, Liu Gu had always found the greatest satisfaction in terrorising people, making them suffer, and then ending their pathetic lives.
That's why he'd garnered an exceptionally bad reputation, as he would avoid instantly finishing things, and instead take his time instilling complete despair into them before doing the deed.
And the whole 'begging for your life' shenanigans had gotten boring to him, so seeing that a new, interesting reaction had finally appeared, Liu Gu was overjoyed!
The dopamine rush intoxicated him, and he decided to let this funny new insect entertain him for a bit.
After all, it's not like he could escape his grasps anyways.
Whoever he had decided to be dead, was to die.
No exceptions.
...
"...Oh great-great-grandmother! What beautiful and wonderful stories you used to tell me back in the good old days, about immortal kings and grand sovereigns!
"I'm sure you'd be eternally proud of me if I told you I had the honour to die to one!
"Oh, I'd also like to take this chance to confess that I was the one who broke your favourite violet flower vase, and not some spiritually aware rodent!"
Fuck!
My throat is dry as shit, and I'm running out of things to say!
Not only that, I've bashed my head off the ground so many times that I'm starting to suspect I'll soon breakthrough into the legendary realm of brain degradation!
When the fuck is our resident main character going to stop fiddling his thumbs and save me goddammit!
"Oh, mightiest ancestor, I hope you-"
"That's enough boy."
Liu Gu interrupted Zhang Wei, forcing him to choke back the next nonsensical sentence he was going to spit out.
"You've done a good job of entertaining me, and have earned yourself a few more minutes in life.
"But it all ends here.
"I've grown bored of your incessant rambling, and it's clear you can't continue either.
"So now, die for me."
After hearing Liu Gu, Zhang Wei, who was on his knees, forced his aching head upwards to have a last look at his tormentor..
What entered his hazy vision, was Liu Gu slowly lifting the executioner's blade in his hands, with a pleased smile plastered on his face- As if he had just sat through an enjoyable movie.
Zhang Wie knew it was over.
He couldn't do anything else.
Dodge?
His whole body felt as heavy as a sack of bricks and, even if we ignored that, just the dizziness from all the head-banging made him so disorientated he barely knew the difference between left and right.
Talk?
What more could he say to a mass murderer who was hell-bent on ending his poor life?
All that he could do now, was wait for his imminent death to arrive.
So with that in mind, he let his drooping eyelids close and was about to allow nature to take its course.
"Every old dog on stage stop fighting at once, otherwise I'll destroy your only chance of advancement in this lifetime!"
...Until a loud and penetrating shout resounded throughout the training area.
Trailing the source of the sound back to its origin, one could see that it had come from a young man who stood on one of the empty stages.
It was none other than the local protagonist, Lin Fan!
As he stood on the stage, with a posture as straight as a sword, he was holding a tiny but shiny round object above his head, clearly wanting to show everyone what it was.
"High-grade Spiritual Compression Pill!!!!
"It's mine!"
The first person in the entire place to speak up was the corrupt manager of the servant quarters, Steward Qin!
As he unwittingly exposed the identity of the object in Lin Fan's hands, Steward Qin spontaneously withdrew a sword from under his seat and then abandoned his seating area to make haste towards Lin Fan while shouting with intense desire,
"Lin Fan, I'm willing to forgive your past wrongdoings as well as ask Young Master Wang to spare you, as long as you hand me that pill this instant!"
After hearing Steward Qin's words, everyone began clamouring.
A Spirit Compression pill was a great pill that could allow someone who was in either the Foundation Establishment Realm or Foundation Consolidating Realm, to instantly break through at least one minor stage no matter what!
In some cases, if the individual had gathered a good amount of Qi within their dantian prior to taking the pill or the pill was of good quality, that person could even break through multiple minor realms at once!
So you could imagine, how the old and untalented servants, who had been long stuck in one realm, felt when this godsend of an opportunity descended upon them!
Naturally, the next to speak up and start rushing towards Lin Fan was the top dog of the Servant Quarters, Liu Gu!
"Lin Fan, a pill of such quality is not fit to be in your hands!
"If you hand me that pill and kowtow to me, then I can consider leaving your body intact!"
Obviously, Liu Gu had long forgotten about someone as insignificant as Zhang Wei in the face of such a treasure.
As Zhang Wei looked up and saw Liu Gu's back stray further away from himself, a relieved smile appeared on his face as he thought,
Phew, thank god the baldy old fart forgot about poor old me and that I get to live another day!
I...hope the others are all good as well.
I mean, they all had relatively mellow-tempered opponents compared to me, so at worst they would just have had to give up.
Speaking of opponents, I'm pretty sure Lin Fan will be able to solo these swarms of chumps!
...
[Ding! Situational Plot Providence within close proximity has been identified by {Providence Analysis}.]
[Cause of activation found to be a protagonist]
...
Description: Provides the individual with a significant boost in all aspects. The boost gained is proportional to the number of enemies the individual has to face. The boost will count the enemies that have joined in later than the initial wave.
Limitation(s) include:
-Since this is a situational type, the effects of this providence will wear off after the determined 'scenario' is over.
-If the individual has a companion or teammate of any sort assisting him, this providence will not activate.
-If the individual is against a single person then, even if the providence is activated, there will be no boost in stats.
...
Never mind, Lin Fan most definitely stomps.
No ifs, hows, whens or buts!
Hehehe, now all that's left for me is to get as comfy as possible on this, quite frankly, uncomfortable stage floor, and enjoy watching that arrogant old guy get a taste of his own medicine!
...Hold up?
...Eyes?!
Please don't shut on me like this!
Noooooooo!
I don't want to go to sleep yet, it's only some blood loss!
After a meaningless struggle of trying to force his eyelids upward, Zhang Wei faded into the realm of unconsciousness.
...
"...Reckon he's going to wake up as a cabbage?"
"You trying to say he wasn't a cabbage before?"
"Shut up Tan Lin, I'm being serious here!
"Anecdotedtly, that guy smacked his head on the ground like fifteen times.
"And they weren't light hits either!
"Just thinking about it makes me shiver!"
"Ok ok, I will admit he had it rough.
"But what about my tastebuds after having to lick that stinky old man's shoe clean in exchange for some extra time?!
"Can't we have a moment of silence for them!?"
In a spacious wooden room that had multiple beds lined up within, a group of four boys, dressed in loose white robes, could be seen huddling around one bed.
Of the group of boys, a boy with black hair and emerald-coloured eyes, Jin Feng, was arguing with a boy who had blonde hair and blue eyes, Tan Lin.
They both went back and forth, both sides having no intention to stop.
Behind them, was Zi Hua, who was just watching the show while occasionally glancing at the boy laying on the bed from time to time with pity.
Finally, Tang Fen, who had a relatively big build with red hair and green eyes, was right at the back fully focusing on wolfing down the chicken drumstick he had in his hand.
Because of all the ruckus, the eyes of the boy laying on the bed inevitably began to flicker open.
Zi Hua, being the most attentive one, instantly shouted while pointing at the bed,
"He's up! He's up!"
Instantly, all arguments came to a halt and even Tang Fen stopped eating his food to look over.
They all watched with anticipation as if children were in a zoo.
As Zhang Wei woke up and regained his bearings, he saw all his friends looking at him with excitement.
Seeing them all, Zhang Wei let out a sigh and shook his head whilst saying ruefully,
"Shit!
"All that pain and suffering just for me to end up in hell anyways?
"The Heavens are truly unjust."